Malick, however, lost out in the best director category to Nicolas Winding Refn, the helmer of the upcoming crime drama Drive, starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan.

Former Spider-Man starlet Kirsten Dunst won best actress for her role in Melancholia, directed by the now banned-from-Cannes Lars Von Trier.

Kid With A Bike and Once Upon A Time In Anatolia tied for the Grand Prix award. Jean Dujardin was named best actor for The Artist, Joseph Cedar won best screenplay for Footnote, and Poliss won the Jury Prize. Camera d'Or went to Las acacias, while the Palme d'Or, short films was given to Cross.